After the discovery of a betrayal by her husband, Hannah longs for an escape. She gave up her college degree and a promising career to raise her challenging young son, and is now dependent on her husband. So when her Uncle Christopher falls ill, she and Nicky go to Ashton Hall, a manor house outside Cambridge to be with him for the summer. Nicky, ever curious, finds the skeletal remains of a woman during his explorations of the long forgotten closed off portions of the house. Her belongings identify her as Isabella Creshan, sealed inside this lonely room sometime in the 1550s Tudor era. As Hannah assists the historians in piecing together this woman's past, she begins to see how women's roles haven't changed all that much over the years and she gains strength in her own life to stand on her own.
I thought this would be a Gothic horror novel, and while there is a dark undertone to the atmosphere of the book, it was so much more than I expected. The well researched historical information blends seamlessly with the events of the present, all unfolding to create an amazing and fascinating story. This is the best historical fiction I've read this year!
I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.
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